Meeting Abstract

75.2  Wednesday, Jan. 6  Digital enhancement: three-dimensional locomotor kinematics of two species of padless geckos FULLER, P.O.*; HIGHAM, T.E.; CLARK, A.J.; Clemson University; Clemson University; Clemson University pfuller@clemson.edu

Locomotion of pad-bearing species of geckos has garnered considerable interest from researchers. However, many groups of geckos include species that lack toe pads, and thus lack adhesive capabilities. A key question is whether all species of padless geckos exhibit similar locomotor kinematics and performance. Both Teratoscincus scincus (frog-eyed gecko) and Eublepharis macularius (leopard gecko) lack adhesive toe pads, and both species are terrestrial. We examined three-dimensional locomotor kinematics of both species using two synchronized high-speed video cameras (dorsal and lateral view) operating at 500fps. Lizards ran along a 1-meter raceway with a surface covered with 300-grit sandpaper for traction. Several points on the hindlimb and tail were digitized including the hip, knee, ankle, toe, base of the tail, tip of the tail, and snout. In terms of locomotor performance, T. scincus exhibited much faster running speeds than E. macularius, although T. scincus was more variable. Despite having relatively comparable values of duty factor, stride duration was shorter for T. scincus. The posture of T. scincus appears to be more upright than E. macularius, which likely has implications for locomotor dynamics. Morphological data will be incorporated to assess the relationship between form and function in these geckos.